1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of electronic musical instruments being an Apparatus for Percussive Harmonic Musical Synthesis (APHAMS) which targets the percussive melodic mode of performance, through emulation of the physical layout and feel of tenor steelpan musical instruments and which utilizes MIDI technology for the synthesis of a range of musical sound generation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In terms of their bearing and influence on the development of the apparatus of the present invention, drums, steelpans and general percussive devices, which provide for internal synthesis using internal electronics and/or external synthesis using the MIDI protocol, are known in the prior art.
In relation to the apparatus of the present invention, despite its novelty and appeal, the traditional acoustic steelpan instrument suffers from several disadvantages and apparent drawbacks.
First, as evidenced by the need to implement many ranges on multiple drums, it is virtually impossible presently, to manufacture a steelpan that is able to cover the widest possible musical range, from bass to soprano range, on a single drum. This limitation is imposed by the physical size of the notes and the size of drums in use. In particular, due to the fact that note sizes increase dramatically for notes lower down on the musical scale, the arrangement of notes that follows the musical cycle of 4ths and 5ths is only possible on the tenor steelpan which uses a single drum to realize the highest musical range.
A direct consequence of this limitation is the fact that, except for the higher ranges that utilize up to two or three drums, the instrument is not easily portable.
Another significant disadvantage stems from the difficulty in retuning the instrument as tuning is generally done by an expert. Tuning may be necessary after extensive use, use of excessive force in playing the instrument, or a change in temperature. The production of steelpans that can deliver true and natural sound, over a wide musical range and that do not require the need for a tuning expert, to continuously keep the instrument tuned for optimized sound is very desirable.
Finally, although the instrument has introduced a new modality of performance whereby players can produce melodic sounds by striking notes on a single metallic surface, quite apart from the subtle changes in timbre that occur by variation in the manner in which notes are struck and where they are struck, the traditional instrument does not have the flexibility which would allow for rapid changes in timbre or voice.
As they have had bearing or influence upon the proactive evolution of the apparatus of the present invention, there are a variety of instruments, including electronic drums which utilize the universal MIDI standard. The electronic keyboard percussion instrument of U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,023 to Takeuchi et al, uses an arrangement of plates arranged in similar fashion to a standard keyboard. The said instrument is played like a xylophone. The output of sensors attached to the plates is used to trigger the generation of synthesized tones corresponding to the designated notes. The said design also facilitates wired connection to a MIDI network, so as to extend the range of voices which can be accessed.
However, the aforementioned electronic keyboard percussion instrument does not support the 4ths and 5ths note arrangement, nor does it allow for other variations in the note arrangement, apart from transposition. In addition it does not support ten (10)-note polyphony, nor does the physical arrangement of plates facilitate finger play. Finally, the said instrument does not facilitate wireless capability without external devices.
Electronic drum instruments, such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,956,959 to Ebihara et al, 4,781,097 to Uchiyama et al, 4,479,412 to Klynas, 5,434,350 to Haney and 5,076,131 to Patterson, utilize pressure sensitive pad arrays and electronics to generate MIDI output, for tone generation, or for direct internal sound synthesis.
These heretofore mentioned electronic drum instruments have been designed for the primary purpose of synthesizing acoustic drums. As such, the number of pads available is limited, usually to no more than twelve (12), i.e. a single octave. Moreover, as a further consequence of the original design intent for drum synthesis, the size, arrangement and other physical attributes of the pads do not facilitate an ergonomic, musically intuitive note arrangement for the performance of melodic music.
As they relate to the apparatus of the present invention, the use of electronic drums is well known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,700,602 to Bozzio, discloses an electronic drum having multiple sound sources with rapidly detachable striking elements and piezoelectric transducers. However, the said invention of the aforementioned patent does not utilise electronic synthesizers to deliver the natural sound of a steelpan. Furthermore, said patent does not disclose the mixing of other musical instruments with the sound of the steelpan.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,679,479 to Koyamato discloses an electronic drum, which uses a single detection element mounted on the base layer of the drum to detect the striking of the drum surface. However, the invention of this said patent does not use electronic synthesizers to deliver the natural sound of a steelpan. Furthermore, this patent does not disclose the mixing of other musical instruments with the sound of the steelpan.
Also, U.S. Pat. Design No. D319,650 to hart discloses the design of an electronic drum. However, the invention disclosed in this said patent has a single striking surface and does not use electronic synthesizers to deliver the natural sound of a steelpan. Furthermore, this patent does not disclose the mixing of other musical instruments with the sound of the steelpan.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,502,274 to Ilotz, U.S. Pat. No. 6,212,772 to Whitmyre et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,973,247 to Matthews all disclose instruments which may be of general interest and pertinent to the construction and design of the apparatus of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,502,274 to Ilotz discloses an electronic musical instrument for playing along with pre-recorded music. However, this instrument does not concentrate on generating the true and natural sound of the steelpan.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,212,772 to Whitmyre, discloses a Caribbean steelpan. However, this said instrument does not disclose a device which uses electronics to emulate the traditional steelpan.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,973,247 to Matthews, discloses a portable steel drum and carrier. Here again, this instrument does not disclose a device that uses electronics to emulate the traditional acoustic steelpan.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,030,305 B1 to Cupid, employs a pressure-sensitive pad matrix in an ergonomic framework modeled along the lines of the now generic conventional acoustic steelpan. However, while said aforementioned invention caters for the electronic simulation of all existing acoustic steelpan ranges from bass to high tenor, said aforementioned invention does not allow for the pressure-sensitive pad matrix to be arbitrarily configured.
As such, while said design caters for the electronic simulation of all existing acoustic steelpan ranges from bass to high tenor, by replicating the physical form of these instruments, nonetheless, said invention, requires the use of two, three, or even six, separate playing surfaces and said invention does not facilitate full emulation of the steelpan, by generating timbre variations, when different parts of the pressure-sensitive pads are struck.
In particular, while said aforementioned invention supports the 4ths and 5ths note arrangement, said invention does not facilitate arbitrary variations in the note arrangement, neither is there support for ten (10)-note polyphony, nor does the physical design of the pads facilitate finger play. Furthermore, said aforementioned invention does not facilitate wireless MIDI capability without external devices, nor is there allowance for control of devices on a MIDI network. Said aforementioned invention allows only for synthesis of the various ranges of steelpan, does not emphasize the synthesis of a wide variety of voices and supports only twenty-eight (28) notes.
In conclusion therefore, the said hereinbefore mentioned invention, does not support simultaneous synthesis of multiple voices and it does not facilitate full emulation of the steelpan instrument, by generating timbre variations when different parts of the pressure-sensitive pads are struck.
In view of the foregoing demonstrated disadvantages inherent in the known types of traditional generic acoustic steelpans, electronic synthesized steelpans, electronic keyboard percussive instruments and other such similar instruments now present in the prior art, the apparatus of the present invention provides an appropriate innovative melodic apparatus, which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages and more, as well as the previously stated given drawbacks of the prior art.
As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved melodic apparatus, which has all the stated advantages of the prior art mentioned heretofore and many other novel features which result in a melodic apparatus which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by the prior art, either alone, or in any given combination thereof.